Celebration in honour of Brother Alfano
1st March
1. Life of simplicity
Here are the first lines of the book entitled Pane di Casa Nostra, which is a short
biography of Brother Alfano:
‘’Joseph Carlo Vaser, Brother Alfano, 1873-1943, is an Italian Marist Brother, rather, the
first Italian Marist Brother. He has been the first one in the chronological meaning of the
word but above all he has been the top one in a spiritual sense. He climbed to the summit
of holiness with a greater eagerness and zeal than when as a child, he enjoyed reaching
for the heights of his beautiful and rugged native land: the Valley of Aosta.’’
This life, devoid of extraordinary events is however one of interior adventure. This life can
also be compared with a mountain range: only those who are courageous enough to climb
to its summit can enjoy its beauty.
Here are the main stages of Brother Alfano’s life:
In 1886, the young Vaser enters St Paul-trois-Châteaux..
In 1891 he professes the vow of obedience.
From 1891 to 1903, he teaches at San Leone Magno’s. He falls in love with the city of
Rome because of its art, culture and faith.
From 1903 to 1941 he is a formator. First, he is the Master of novices for fifteen years
from 1907 to1922. Then, he becomes the Director of the student Brothers from 1925 to
1941.
* Note that he was a provincial councillor during thirty-two years…
He died on 1 March 1943, right during the world war II.
A simple life like the one of so many Brothers, maybe like ours when we remember all
those years behind us… Yet, a life all spent at God’s service; God’s great gift to us and to
the world.
Hymn: Please choose one to show our gratitude to God.
2. Brother Alfano’s personality
The first theologian who studied Brother Alfano’s writings declared, " The harvest is really
abundant here, there is a vast choice. The servant of God perfectly understood that a
totally lived religious life is like a garden where the Holy Spirit’s light makes all virtues
bloom. "
a. Human personality:
Brother Alfano was very gifted intellectually. At the late age of fifty he had to learn Latin.
He then taught this language in an excellent way.
He was remarkable for his great culture.
A very righteous person, he was also very tenacious and even of strong will. These
qualities did not prevent him from being a very happy and kind man. ‘’He was kindly with
everybody; during recreations and outings, his good humour was simply contagious.
Although of a strict character, he could show understanding to those who erred and
sensitive to the needs of others.’’ He found time to write to the Brothers who were
undergoing their military service. Even sent them money to enliven the feast days. One of
his colleagues wrote, ‘’That Brother Alfano was severe should be considered as a myth.’’
Brother Antelmo reports:
‘’During the war, he sent duplicated circulars to the soldier-Brothers. These circulars
comforted the latter by all types of advice and Institute news. Before Christmas of 1917,
he sent me a cheque which helped me entertain those in the trench with me.’’
Action: a hymn of thanksgiving for the human good qualities of Brother Alfano.
b. His spiritual personality
The talent Brother Alfano showed in training his novices indicated his great judgment and
knowledge of psychology indeed. But one can safely deduct that this success must have
been the result of his long moments kneeling and praying. He said it himself, ‘’What a
help it is to think calmly and serenely in front of God!’’ The crib, the cross and the altar
were also his preferences. He prayed the stations of the cross every day even if on
occasions he would have to get up earlier than at the scheduled time. His devotion to the
Blessed Lady reveals itself by the expression he had coined, ‘’il rosariante’’ the one who
recites the rosary. His days were filled with Hail Marys. Here is what he thought of Mary:
Mary offered herself for everybody
She gave herself to the just and the sinners,
She opens the treasure of her mercy to all.
She unties the shackles of the slaves,
She gives back health to the sick and consoles the afflicted ones.
She pardons the sinners and encourages the just ones to continue.
Her love leaves no-one out.
He trained two hundred and sixty novices. Of that great number, one hundred and fortyfour persevered until death. Many of them lived a rich spiritual life. It becomes evident
that holiness attracts others to live as good Christians and even to become holy as well.
A pause for reflection
Brother Alfano had a boundless admiration for Father Champagnat’s qualities and
charism. He invited his novices to study Champagnat’s life well. ‘’Make his life and
doctrine your daily bread.’’ ‘’I have one desire: the good of the institute thanks to the
imitation of the founder by all the Brothers.’’
By studying the human and spiritual personality of Brother Alfano we can learn the
abundant life that animated him. Let us thank God, source of life, who wants us to enjoy
abundant life and invited us at the last chapter to ‘’choose life’’.
Hymn to praise God and his saints
Re-read a passage or a phrase; then return to the chorus.
3. What was said about Brother Alfano
One Brother reports, ‘’Brother Alfano was considered by his confrères and his superiors as
an exceptionally holy, an exemplary Marist brother.’’ This holiness was resting on a strong
spirit of faith, a great generosity and a constant fidelity. Others add, ‘’We find in him a
religious man totally dedicated to the Institute, concerned with the glory of God and the
salvation of people only.’’ ‘’He so lived intently according the rule that we called him, ‘the
living Rule’. Seeing him pray and observing his behaviour one could see that he constantly
lived in the presence of God and in constant prayer.’’ ‘’He is a religious who practised the
virtues of religious life up to a heroic degree.
Hymn to praise God. Re-read any witnessing passage
Conclusion
Let us receive this grace with gratitude and wonder : a brother from our society who lived
the same ordinary simple life as other brothers is now, we believe our intercessor, our
friend with God. In Brother Alfano we find an unconditional love for Marcellin and for the
Institute, the ‘’rosariante’’, who knows how to fill his free times with Hail Marys. We hope
he will take us to Mary so that she will lead us to Jesus who will make us His Father’s
faithful servants. Thus, we will feed ourselves of the ‘’home bread’’ as Brother Alfano
affectionately said.
Final prayer:
Lord, you gave Brother Alfano the grace to faithfully follow Christ poor and humble.
You called him to become a Marist Brother to be an apostle and to educate your children.
Grant us through him to live with generosity our Marist life.
Help us to radiate the enthusiasm of Marcellin, our Founder.
And you, Mary, our good Mother, glorify your servant, Brother Alfano, Who loved and
glorified you so much among us. Amen
Final hymn.